We will take Yatnal into confidence, everything will be fine in Karnataka BJP: BY Vijayendra

The Karnataka BJP chief is the son of former chief minister and party stalwart BS Yediyurappa.

‘Every leader has their own opinion’

“You are interpreting senior leader Yatnal’s statements wrongly. He has the freedom to express his opinion. This is BJP, a national party. Every leader has his own opinion and based on everyone’s opinion, our central leadership will decide,” Vijayendra said in response to a question regarding disgruntlement within the party, citing Yatnal’s public statements.

During the appointment of Leader of Opposition on Friday, 18 November, Yatnal publicly expressed dissent against BJP turning into a “one family party”.

Speaking to reporters in Mandya, he said, “I’m not denying that Yatnal might have made certain statements out of pain. He might have shared certain issues, but our central leadership and seniors in the state will discuss and will try to find an answer. We will take him into confidence.”

To a question about senior MLA Ramesh Jarkiholi’s alleged disgruntlement, he said, “All is fine, everything will be fine, nothing to worry about.”

Also read: BJP picks R Ashoka as Leader of Opposition

Yatnal’s statements

Yatnal had said, “The Karnataka BJP should not confine itself to one family. I, the BJP workers, and Hindutva workers will not agree to it. The high command should not take such a decision by listening to certain people.”

“I am not afraid of anyone or blackmail. I will always stand for the truth. I will speak strongly and I won’t compromise with anyone. I have detailed everything about the adjustment politics. I have exposed them,” said Yatnal.

“It is impossible to buy me. One agent came to buy me on Thursday. I told him clearly that I had the power to purchase 10 people like him. There are some people who do such heinous things,” he fumed.

He also stressed the appointment of LoPs from North Karnataka. “I have said that there is no compromise in this regard. Why will they not give it? Should all posts be given to (leaders from) South Karnataka?” he asked.

Yatnal pointed out, “There are BJP MPs from Bidar to Raichur because the people of North Karnataka voted for them. The people will decide. We will decide there. I will not keep quiet. It is not my nature to fold hands and say ‘Ji Huzur‘.”

Also read: BY Vijayendra formally takes charge of Karnataka BJP

Internal discontent

On Friday, the central observers visited the residence of disgruntled Vijayapura City MLA Yatnal in Bengaluru. During their visit, Yatnal is said to have complained about adjustment politics and anti-party activities.

He and Hubballi-Dharwad West seat MLA Aravind Bellad have already expressed unhappiness over plum posts being given to leaders from South Karnataka and those from North Karnataka not being considered.

MLAs Jarkiholi and Yatnal met the central observers separately and expressed their opinions on electing the LoP for the Assembly.

Yatnal, ahead of the meeting, had demanded that the Leader of Opposition in the Assembly should be from North Karnataka.

The duo left the hotel without taking part in the legislature party meeting. This led to speculation that everything was not well within the cadre.

Yatnal later told reporters, “I gave them details about adjustment politics and those who cheated the party in the recently concluded Assembly polls. They did not know the entire truth.”

Also read: ‘Won’t back off’ says Vijayendra amid jibes of ‘dynasty politics’

Appointment of Leader of Opposition

Former deputy chief minister and seven-time MLA R Ashoka, who hails from the influential Vokkaliga community, has been appointed as the Leader of the Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly, on Friday.

Central observers — Union Minister for Finance Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP national general secretary Dushyant Kumar Gautam — collected the opinions from selected senior MLAs in the legislature party meeting held at a private hotel in Bengaluru City.

When asked about certain criticism regarding the election of the Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly, dubbing Ashoka as “incapable”, Vijayendra said, “Who is how much incapable and who has how much capability will be decided by the people in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, not the ruling party or others.”

(With PTI inputs)